


The Science of Humanity

by PutItBriefly



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-29
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 19:59:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/739535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PutItBriefly/pseuds/PutItBriefly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy asks for a second opinion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Science of Humanity

**Author's Note:**

> Standard disclaimers apply.

"That is the science of humanity."

"Do a Google search," Darcy’s co-conspirator tells him. His cohort can judge from the time that he is at work. Predictably, being in front of a computer is inescapable at Pemberley Digital. He lays his iPhone down on the desk beside his laptop, tapping the touchscreen to put the other party on speaker phone. It would be a feat of logistics to sandwich the thin phone between his ear and shoulder without mashing the virtual keyboard while he uses his hands to type on another. 

As he accesses Safari, Darcy feels a certain need to explain his reluctance to take her at her word. "It is an unusual name for a store."

He can hear the smile in Jane Bennet’s voice. "Of course it is. That's why people remember it." Jane is an interesting woman. Though the entire continent of North America is between them, Darcy still feels confident he knows when she is smiling.

She will hear nothing similar from him. Darcy frowns at the computer in concentration. "I see." In his tone, she probably gets the impression of his eyebrows knitting.

"First result, right?"

Luckily, the past year has made Darcy quite the expert in being the recipient of teasing. "Also the third."

"So you’re all set?”

"Yes. However, if I would like a second opinion, would you render your services?"

"Of course!” Jane laughs, then adds more seriously, “But, honestly, you can't go wrong with Anthropologie. Lizzie would live there if she could."

The front page of the website illustrates the variety of products the store features. Darcy had been under the erroneous impression that Anthropologie was a clothing store that dabbled in accessories. "They sell furniture. It appears one could live in one of their stores should they wish."

Right on cue, Jane laughs. "That sounds more Lydia than Lizzie. Lizzie's not sneaky enough to get around mall security indefinitely."

"Perhaps," Darcy replies, noncommittal. Lydia takes after the Bennet matriarch. She plots, she sneaks. She does it in such an obvious and sloppy manner that one easily overlooks her true intentions and falls right into her trap. Lizzie doesn’t set traps. She’s direct. She says what she means. But she does have a way of sliding past one’s defenses. Though he acknowledges that living at a store in the mall is a foolish proposition and a joke from start to finish, Darcy doesn’t doubt that Lizzie could accomplish it if she wished. 

Darcy browses the website in what he considers an amiable silence with Jane until she breaks, and asks, "So, how are you going to handle her birthday and your anniversary being the same day?"

"Exactly how it sounds."

Evidently, that answer doesn’t satisfy Jane Bennet because she protests. "It sounds like two completely different things happening at the same time.”

"A birthday is a day,” Darcy clarifies. “An anniversary is a celebration to commemorate an event. The event that signified the beginning of my relationship with Lizzie happened in the evening. Therefor, the day is Lizzie's birthday, the evening is our anniversary.” It is a particularly childish and exacting interpretation of the language, but Darcy wants to ensure that each of the milestones of March 17th are treated with appropriate care. The first step in that process is to define the specifics. “A birthday is an anniversary itself,” he admits, “but the celebration is tied to the date on the whole, and the phrasing is reflective of that.”

"If it helps,” Jane adds, ever supportive, “I don't think Lizzie knows the exact time she was born."

Without missing a beat, Darcy can say this much: "She was born before Charlotte."

"You've heard that story!" Though he doubts Jane has stopped smiling in the duration of this conversation, Darcy can hear it again. Her amusement and care carries in her voice. If Jane was to make a list of required qualities for the men in the lives of her sisters, it would be short. Kind. Respectful. Hygienic. Jane would not require that Lizzie’s boyfriend love to listen to her tell stories. But she is glad that he does. 

"If you don't mind my asking,” Jane segues politely, “what did you get Lizzie for your anniversary?”

"I did a bit of research,” Darcy admits, “and learned that the traditional gift for a one-year anniversary is paper."

"I think that's for wedding anniversaries?" Jane muses, not critical, but cautious.

Darcy ignores her. While what Jane says is true, there is very little in the ways of tradition for a long-term dating relationship. "I purchased a journal. I felt in light of our history, a diary was a suitable gift. It has personal relevance while showing her that we are still individuals and I respect her privacy. It provides her an outlet for things she doesn't wish to share with me." 

Jane coos. "I love it. So sweet."

"Thank you,” Darcy says. He feels a swell of pride at Jane’s approval. “I hope Lizzie will appreciate it as well."

"Are you finding anything on the website?" Jane asks, reminding Darcy that his intention for the afternoon’s advice-seeking from Lizzie’s sister was to order a birthday present.

He admits, "I'm not entirely satisfied with the selection."

"Really?” Jane sighs. “That's a shame. Lizzie loves that store."

"It's not that the pieces are not to her taste,” Darcy replies, struggling to find the words. “I believe many of them are." It is difficult for him to express what exactly has him so dissatisfied with the store. He and Jane are not close, which compounds the struggle for him to explain himself to her. 

Lydia visits San Francisco frequently. Her college schedule provides her with seasonal breaks and the occasional long weekend. She is similar in temperament to Gigi. The combination of these circumstances has resulted in the formation of a friendly rapport between himself and Lizzie’s younger sister. 

In New York City, Jane is separated from the rest of the Bennet clan by a much greater physical distance. Her comparatively unforgiving work schedule means Darcy spends very little time in Jane’s company. Certainly, not enough to make him feel comfortable with her. He has difficultly reading even the most expressive of people. Jane, like her father -- like himself, if Darcy was being honest -- holds her emotions very close. He finds it impossible to gauge where he stands with her. This would bother him very little, if not for the Bing fiasco. He doesn’t know how much Jane knows. He doesn’t know how Jane feels about it. Jane’s opinion of William Darcy, as an individual human being, independent from his relationship with her younger sister, is unknown to him. She is uniformly pleasant to everyone she meets. 

Jane tuts. "It doesn't have to be expensive to be significant." It doesn’t sound like a criticism the way she says it. 

"I don't mean to imply that I equate monetary value and sentimentality."

"Of course not," Jane is quick to agree. “I just mean...”

Inability to get a read on people aside, Darcy does know where Jane is going with this hesitant remark. He is more vocal on this subject than any other. No matter what Jane may or may not think of him, she knows this: "Lizzie is the best part of my life.” 

"And you think nothing on this website shows that,” Jane follows. “I think that message is sent just by paying attention to her and giving her something you know she'll love. That you are thinking about her perspective and her needs shows how important she is."

Hearing Jane say it makes Darcy realize how absurd it is that anyone had to explain that to him. "No...of course. I know. That's why I sought your counsel to begin with." A gift, even one purposefully chosen with Lizzie’s perspective in mind, would be more reflection on his interpretation of Lizzie’s perspective. But if multiple people agree on their interpretation of Lizzie’s perspective, then the possibility of closer correlation to her true point of view emerges.

To this, Jane asks, "Did you seek Lizzie's counsel?"

Darcy admits, "She told me about a book she wanted."

Despite his difficulties at reading her, Jane has no trouble interpreting him. "But a book didn't seem like enough."

"No. She's so busy...Longbourn Productions cannot spare her. Lizzie has trouble finding the time to read. I didn't want to give her something that would sit collecting dust, waiting for her." Her new media company is still in its infancy. As the company grows and experiences successes, Lizzie will be able to hire more staff and shoulder less on her own. Though he knows the sacrifice is temporary and worthwhile, a part of him is still deeply affronted that Lizzie has lost her ability to lose herself in books. 

He bought her the book anyway. Lizzie told him she wanted it and he would never dare deny her something she wants. But the desire to present her with something she could take joy in immediately was still there.

"She will wear a necklace from you every day," Jane declares, drawing Darcy’s eyes back to the selection of necklaces featured on Anthropologie’s online store.

"Yes,” he agrees. “...It's selfish, isn't it? To purposefully gift her with something I know she'll mark herself with daily?"

To her credit, Jane doesn’t laugh, though she sounds very near to it. "No. You're being silly."

"A rare accusation, I assure you."

"I've seen you two together,” Jane chides. Warmly, if such a thing were possible. “Lizzie has been bringing out your silliness for the past year."

Well. She’s not wrong. "Yes."

"She will love what you buy her, she will love you for thinking of her and she will wear it every day because you are important to her."

"Thank you, Jane,” Darcy says sincerely. Though he understands Lydia better than he does Jane, he chose to ask the latter for help with this venture of buying Lizzie a birthday present for the first time. His reason for selecting Jane had been because she and Lizzie had similar tastes -- they had been known to swap clothes, something that Lizzie would never do with Lydia. As a secondary consideration, Jane was passionate about women’s fashion, a discipline Darcy did not grasp. She would prevent him from inadvertently procuring something outdated or embarrassing for Lizzie. Now he questions the validity of this reasoning. Jane, Lizzie has always said, has a calming presence. Darcy had never particularly agreed. Something about her set him on edge, made him nervous. But he has to admit that she has been a capable guide through this process. 

Darcy quickly copies a few links into the body of an e-mail and sends it to Jane. “Which of these do you like?"

Jane hums as she considers Darcy’s selections. She deliberates over each one, giving the decision the large degree of weight he believes it measures. Finally, she pronounces, "I think the second one."

He pleased -- the piece is a simple chain adorned by a small charm. It is one of the less ostentatious of Anthroplogie’s options. Lizzie does often wear larger charms on her jewelry, but there’s something about the small blue daisy with gilded edges that makes him think it suits her. She gravitates towards blue. "Exactly my thoughts."

There’s that audible smile in Jane’s voice again when she says, "Glad to have been a help! And -- happy anniversary, William."


End file.
